Christmas ride
by Reike
Summary: A knightly duty and a snow storm leaves Integra and the Round Table in a hopeless situation until an unexpected rescuer appeears and save the day, or night. Alucard has some aces up his sleeve which Integra doesn't know. One Shot. Hints at Integra X Alucard.


**A/N: English is not my first language so there will be mistakes. Also this is my first story, if anything doesn't make sense please pm me so I can correct it. I do not own Hellsing.**

It was Christmas Eve in London. Bright lights and candles decorated the windows, carols and freshly baked cookies' sweet smell filled the air. Rosy cheeked children and adults made their way towards a church or home to their beloveds. Snow was falling for the third day tuning the old city into a winter wonderland covering every inch in white.

Meanwhile in the outskirts in a huge mansion the head of the Hellsing Organization prepared for Midnight Mass. She tied her blonde mane into a neat bun leaving a few locks elegantly falling to her shoulders. Put on a long black dress with pristine white blouse and her sky blue cravat with a silver cross pinned on it. She was at the last touches of her outfit when a shadow crept behind her. With a sigh she buttoned up her blazer.

"What do you want Alucard?"

"Why, you look beautiful, my Master!" his ever present grin never leaving his face.

"You came here just to try to flatter me? Even though i told you countless times not to step in my private chamber?" she turned to face him and crossed her arms, piercing blue eyes boring in crimson ones.

"No" he glanced out the window his expression grew serious "A snowstorm is coming, you shouldn't go out."

"It's my duty as a knight to go, and don't worry, my Count, we aren't in your mountains, A bit snow won't cause much problem."

'Still it's not wise to..." he was interrupted by a knock on her door.

"Sir Integra, the car is ready."

"Thank you Walter, just one more minute."

He waited until he couldn't hear the butler's footsteps.

"Integra"

"No, Alucard, you don't decide for me what to do! Do you understood, Servant?" she snapped at him.

"Yes, Master" his shoulders sagged with defeat. He knew that arguing with his master was pointless when she made her mind; she was as stubborn sometimes as him.

She nodded before leaving a defeated vampire behind. He shot one more worried look at the sky and went to see out his mistress.

In the hallway Both Integra and Walter were ready to go, but the young knight decided it would be in her best interest to set the rules.

"Captain Bernadotte, I expect the most professional behaviour from you and from your men. I know it's Christmas, but that isn't an excuse to be barbaric."

"Aye-aye Boss!" the Frenchman waved her off. He clearly drank one too much bottle of eggnog already.

"Seras" she sighed before continuing. The police girl was as giddy as a five-year-old, almost bouncing with glee. "just don't try anything stupid. And Alucard, keep the tree intact!"

The old vampire just growled as an answer. He was not a stupid dog to tumble over their Christmas tree, and he was still worried of the storm slowly brewering outside.

The drive to the cathedral was uneventful but took longer than usual. The heavily falling snow made seeing impossible. By the time they arrived the white blanket was so thick some smaller car pulled over to stop or simply got stuck with no hope to escape.

The heiress greeted her fellow members of the Round Table before heading inside. The interior of the St. Paul Cathedral looked more majestic than ever in her memories. The hundreds of candles casted a soft warm light, illuminating the sculptures of the saints, the scent of the incense adding to the feeling a tad bit of mysticism. Then the booming notes of the organ echoed in the building and the midnight mass begun.

In the mansion Alucard paced to and fro checking the time in every two minute. In the mean time the mercenaries and the draculina tried to spread the Christmas spirit hanging ornaments in every possible Meaning even on the rim of his hat when Seras managed to sneak behind him. And all of them singed, hummed or whistled some holiday tune, all of them being out of tune, painfully.

After his umpteenth round Alucard took a brief look at the watch again and snapped. It was long past the time Integra should arrive back and the snowing didn't die down.

"Police Girl, I go and recover Master, you and your... friends clean this up until we came back, it looks like a gipsy witch' tent."

"But Master..." Alucard shot a dark look at his fledgling and the protest died on her throat.

Outside the cathedral the knights were at lost at what they should do. The snow covered their cars completely and even if they managed to dig them out, they were still stuck and none of them wanted to spend the night sleeping on the pews.

"You really should wear dress on more occasion, you look lovely my dear." Sir Walsh approached Integra and she had to suppress a chuckle as Lady Walsh smacked her husband shoulder.

"Thank you Sir, but I still prefer my suit."

"Yeah, of course" he waved his hand "but do you have any idea how are we gonna get home?"

"If I may Sir, maybe we should phone home." suggested Walter.

"And what?" she raised a questioning eyebrow "Have Alucard shovelling the road? I hardly think he would be thrilled by the idea."

"Well if nobody have a better idea that could work as a last resort." Sir Walsh put in his own tow cent too. Integra looked around noting the shivering knights and their family members before reaching for her phone. But before she could dial the number, horses' snorts and hooves beating broke the silence. A huge sleigh pulled by four elegant, black and sturdy Hungarian horses pulled by the confused nobles. At the reins sat a tall man covered in a thick fur coat. His red eyes gleamed under his furry cap. He looked like a coachman from the Transylvanian mountains not like its former king.

"Alucard, what's the meaning of this?" She gestured the strange vehicle in front of her.

"A means of transportation, and a trustworthy at that. My horses never let me down." Integra and the Lords just stood dumbfounded. Who the hell thought that a vampire would help them out, and where did he get the sleigh and the horses?

"I think we should board the sleigh Sir." Walter broke their stupor and slowly everybody took a seat and buried themselves in the woolen blankets. The proud Nonius horses stood still, their warm breath creating small white clouds around their noses. Their pitch black coats shimmered in the streetlights. When his master gave a signal, the vampire clicked his tongue and the horses began to pull the sleigh, first just in walk then in a slow trot. The four beasts dashed through the snow, the passengers whispered among themselves. The elders reminiscing the old times, while the younger ones enjoying the new experience. But one question nagged everybody's mind: how could they ride a horse sleigh in the middle of London in the 21th century?

"Vampire, where did you steal this sleigh?" Sir Irons demanded in an icy tone. Alucard almost snarled at the accusation, he was not a thief, he impaled thieves in his time, but a sting from the Hellsing seals silenced him.

"I didn't steal it, the horses are my familiars, the harness and the sleigh came with the pack." he felt through the bond that his master was satisfied with his answer. The old Lord just hummed in acknowledgment.

"How did you manage it?" asked a braver relative.

"It's no different than summoning Baskerville." he shrugged. Quite a few people looked at Integra in a questioning manner.

"It's that huge, creepy dog you can sometimes met at the grounds." she filled them in. Some of them paled, knowing that the dog they sometimes gave scraps was the vampire's pet. Integra hid a smirk in her scarf, she would never admit it out loud but she enjoyed torturing the lords.

"What are the names of the horses?" asked one daughter timidly. She shrunk more when the vampire's eye glinted at her. To say he was surprised at the question was an understatement. He expected a lot of things but certainly not this.

"On the front the right one is Origo, the left is Phoenix, on the back they are Robber and Flighty."

"They are beautiful." she whispered.

"Thank you." The pride and smugness rolled off in waves of the vampire. He was royalty after all, and like every noble he was proud of his animals.

Slowly every Lord got home safely, they unique ride attracted some awe filled stare from the staff. Their whole companion seemed like escapees from a children's book. The oil lamps hanging from the back of the sleigh casted a warm light around it, the snow underneath sparkled as the horses kicked up the powder. When the last knight was taken home too, Alucard felt a hand on his arm.

"Take us home, Count!"

"Right away, Countess!" None of them saw, but both were aware of the unapproving scowl on Walter's face. The vampire loosened the reins and the horses jumped to canter.

As they neared the Hellsing grounds they never expected the slightly disturbing new army. Pip was the first who saw the faint light getting closer to the gates.

"What's that?" he pointed towards the light with one of the new recruit's weapon, a dried up branch.

"Definitely not Father Christmas." another geese answered him while giving a hat to the snow solider.

"That's Master, Sir Integra and Walter." Seras announced "On a sleigh with master at the reins?" disbelief was obvious in her voice.

Integra just rolled her eyes and the men chuckled when they saw the mansion' new guards. At least fifty snowmen stood in strait lines next to each other, each with a serious expression on their faces and a branch gun in their hands. Few of them even had hats, probably the officers. Alucard halted the horses at stop at the bottom of the stairs where Seras, Pip and a few Wild Geese waited mouth agape. He waited until his two passengers get off before he stepped down to the horses. He petted the neck of one and the animal pushed his muzzle under his coat in search for treat. Alucard smiled at the spoiled beast and scratched him behind the ear. The horse leaned in the touch clearly enjoying it. Integra watched the exchange with amusement, her vampire looked so human and the horses trusted him although other animals covered in fear in the presence of the vampire. She read in her grandfather's journals that the vampire had a soft spot for horses but she never thought that she would ever witness it.

"Alucard, tend to the horses, and after you done I want to see you in my office!" he nodded and led away the horses.

Later in the office Integra watched the snow from the window nursing a cup of tea when Alucard phased through the wall.

"You wanted to see me Master."

"Yes. Those animals were not your familiars, right?" his face was priceless, like a child caught red handed in the cookie jar.

"Right." Integra heard that he wanted to say more but he stayed silent.

"How?" she smirked to herself, poor vampire probably waited for his punishment of sorts.

"You know, Carfax Abbey is still mine, I keep them there. Along with Abraham's." Integra was stunned, why she didn't know of these things. Well tomorrow she could ask Walter.

"Alucard!" she rounded her desk to stand face to face with him "Thank you!" she gave a quick peck on his cheek and left to her bedroom, leaving an utterly confused vampire in her wake.


End file.
